People demand a change in the ‘face’ – Shiral Lakthilake
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President Maithripala Sirisena is yet to make any public statement with regard to the setback suffered by the two main partners in the government at the mini-polls.

He met prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday (11) afternoon, but details of what they discussed are not known.

When asked what the president’s next move could be, his coordinating secretary Shiral Lakthilake has told BBC Sinhala Service that Mr. Sirisena was ‘deeply studying’ the election outcome.

The president’s stand is that the people’s verdict should be accepted deferentially and appropriate changes made in the government, said Lakthilake.

Declines comment in premiership

He is ready for a strong change to any act in state administration that insulted or played with the public conscience, he went onto say.

Lakthilake declined to comment if that could be as high as the premiership, but said the people demand a change in the ‘face.’

He said the people have pointed out the need for a change in the government, cabinet and also to create a corruption free society.

A ‘red notice’ only

Unlike the view held by most that it was a ‘quit notice’ that ex-president Mahinda Rajapaksa-led SLPP won the LG polls, Lakthilake said it was a ‘red notice’ only.

Although the SLPP won 241 LG bodies, it can form administrations in only 160 of them, he said.

‘People have understood their January 08 mistake… ‘

Meanwhile, minister Rajitha Senaratne said yesterday that the election result strengthened the January 08 public mandate.

However, Mahinda Rajapaksa described that claim as being that of a dreamer, and called for an immediate general election.

In the meantime, the president’s media unit says in a statement that the president and the PM did not agree, at their meeting, anything with regard to the forming of administrations in the LG bodies or their future political activities.